Philippine court stops export of RWS dolphins

About 1,000 animal lovers gather at Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park to urge Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) to let its wild-caught dolphins go in this Aug 28, 2011 file photo. A Philippine court on Saturday temporarily blocked the export of 25 captive dolphins meant to be the main attraction at the Marine Life Park at RWS. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

By Derrick Ho

A Philippine court on Saturday temporarily blocked the export of 25 captive dolphins meant to be the main attraction at the Marine Life Park at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

A Quezon City court issued a 72-hour "temporary environment protection order" preventing the mammals from being exported to Singapore, after animal rights groups there filed a civil suit, according to the Philippine Star newspaper.

The groups included the Earth Island Institute, Philippine Animal Welfare Society and the Compassion and Responsibility Philippines. They alleged that exporting the bottlenose dolphins for sport or entertainment was illegal, cruel and would cause the extinction of the species.

The suit was filed against the Philippine agricultural secretary, Department of Agriculture and the the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, as well as Resorts World Sentosa, the Star reported.